Method of and mechanism for shaping the uppers of low-cut footwear



March 12, 1963 M. L. DODGE 3,080,588

METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR SHAPING THE UPPERS OF LOW-CUT FOOTWEAR Filed Oct. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 12, 1963 M. DODGE 3,

moo OF AND MECHANISM FOR swarms THE UPPERS or LOW-CUT FOOTWEAR Filed 001;. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofiice I 3,680,588 Patented Mar. 12, 1963 This inventionrelates to a mechanism for pressing and shaping the quarter portions of the uppers of completed low-cut shoes, particularly womcns pumps and oxfords, so as to adapt the shoes to the feet of the customer. When shoes are being fitted to customers in a retail outlet, it often happens that the shoe will fit the foot well except for a slight loosenessin the heel portion. In some cases looseness will appear around the entire length of the shoe opening. To remedy these faults mechanism embodying the present invention can be used to narrow the upper at its quarter portions, especially along the top of the upper, the back of the upper being pressed forward in the same operation so that a slight shrinkage of this part of the upper occurs. This is done, according to the invention, by afWiping-and smoothing action along the top margin of the upper, together with a progressive pinching action starting forward of the back seam of the upper and pinching the top margin further and further back until the back seam itself is pinched. These wiping and pinching actions are accompanied by an inward curling of the top margins of the upper, the extent of such inward curling being controlled by adjusting parts of the mechanism and positioning the shoe in relation to parts of the mechanism before the operation is commenced.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof, and to the drawings, of which- FIGURE 1 is a plan view of mechanism embodying the i invention FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the same, a portion being broken away'to show in section;

' FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of the mechanism;

l FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation of a shaping member, part being broken away to show in section;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the mechanism starting an operation on a pump;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of the same, on a larger scale, showing parts of the mechanism at the finish of a working stroke;

' FIGURES 7 and 8 are sections on lines 7--7 and 88, respectively, of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is a diagram of the electric wiring in the mechanism.

The mechanism illustrated on the drawings comprises a base 10 in the form of an inverted box which may conveniently be a single metal casting. For convenience in describing the structure and operation of the mechanism, the base is shown and described with a horizontal top. It is to be understood that it is quite possible and may in some cases be preferable to mount the base in an inclined position or against a vertical wall. On the base 10 is an inner shaping member 12 the bottom of which bears on the top of the base. This member is elongated and is rounded at its rear end as at 14. The bottom edges of the member at the rounded end and along the sides are curved convexly downward and inward as indicated in FIGURES 6 and 8 so that the top margins of a shoe upper when inverted over the inner member 12 can be curled inward against these curved edge surfaces. From the bottom of the inner shaping member 12 an extension 16 projects downward through an aperture in the top of the base 10. This extension fits loosely in the aperture and prevents any horizontal movement of the member 12 on the base. The'member is vertically movable a limited distance but is pressed downward resiliently against the top of the base by a spring 18 which is coiled around a portion of the projection 16 and is compressed between the under face of the base and a collar 20 secured to the projection 16. A bolt 22 which extends through holes in the member 12 and the top of the base 10 serves to take the thrust of the member 12 when it is pressed forward the sides and back of the inner shaping member 12. The

legs 32 of the U-shaped member diverge slightly toward their extremities as indicated in FIGURE 1. U-shaped member 30 forms a hollow by reason of the concavityof the sides thereof which are presented to the the side walls of the inner member 12 when the outerinner member 12 for contact therewith. As shown in FIGURES 3, 5, 7 and 8, the inner wall of the legs 32 and of the curved end of the member 30 slopes concavely downward and inward so that the bottom edges underlap member 30 is pushed forward from the position indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2 to that indicated in FIGURE 6. Any suitable mechanism may be provided for pushing the outer member 30 forward into contact with the inner member 12. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, a simple but effective toggle linkage is provided for this purpose, this linkage consisting of a lever 36 pivoted as at 38 to a bracket 40 which projects from the rear end of the base 10. A suitable handle 42 is provided on the free end of the lever 36. A link 44 is pivoted as at 46 to an intermediate point of the lever 36, the other end of the link 40 being connected to the outer shaping member 30 by an extension 48 which is adjustable to vary the overall length of the link 44. The link 44 and the portion of the lever 46 between the pivots 38 and 46 are toggle links which facilitate the application of high pressure to force the outer member 30 forward against the rear end of the inner shaping member 12 when the lever hand 42 approaches its extreme forward position. To connect the link 44 with the outer shaping member 30, the extension 43 projects into a recess 50 through a narrow opening 51 in the rear face of the member 30, the extension 48 being provided with a head 52 to prevent accidental retraction of the extension 48 from the recess 50.

To operate the mechanism, the member 30 is retracted to the position shown in FIGURE 2, a womans pump or equivalent article of footwear W is inverted and its heel portion is placed over the inner member 12. It is assumed that the member 12 will previously have been brought to a suitable temperature by means of the heating unit 24. When the shoe has been properly located over the inner member 12, the outer member 30 is then advanced by manipulation of the handle 42. As the member 30 advances, the concave side walls thereof rub against and pinch the top marginal portions of the shoe upper from the instep region rearward to the back of the upper as indicated in FIGURES 7 and 8, and these margins of the upper are made to curl inward under the sides of the member 12 as they are wiped forward by the inner walls of the member 30. The spring 18 which holds the inner shaping member against the top of the base 10 permits.

The

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in FIGURE 6, it presses strongly against the top margin of the back and considerable portions of the top margins of the sides of the shoe upper so as to curl them inward. Since the concave wall surface of the outer member 30 is continuous as is also the convex opposing surfaces of the inner member 12, little opportunity for wrinkling is afforded in the top margins of the upper which are being pressed. When the mechanism has been held in the pressing position illustrated in FIGURE 6 for a suitable period to enable the leather to obtain a set, the member 30 is retracted by swinging the handle 42 to the rear.

The amount of inward curling which is imparted to the top margin of the upper depends upon the relative position of the shoe with respect to the inner member 12. If the top edge of the upper is directly in contact with the base 10 when the member 30 moves into pressing relation with the inner member 12, the maximum amount of curling in is obtained. If a lesser amount is desired, the inverted shoe is elevated so that its top edge is above the surface of the base 10. To hold the rear portion of the shoe in such elevated position, an auxiliary support member 60 is mounted within the base 10, the upper end of this auxiliary support projecting through a suitable opening 62 in the top of the base. The support member 60 is a strip of metal an end of which is secured to the rear wall of the base 10. The strip 60 passes between two fixed lugs 63 which keep the free end of the strip registering with the opening 62 and is pressed upward by a leaf spring '64 (FIGURE 2) against an adjustable stop member consisting of a screw 66 threaded through the rear wall of the base 10. The screw 66 has a slotted head 68 against which the strip 60 is pressed by the spring 64. Rotation of the screw 66 by a knurled finger piece 70 adjusts the head 68 forward or rearward with a consequent alteration in the elevation of the free end of the strip 60 on which the top edge at the back of the shoe upper bears (FIGURE When the screw 66 is turned, the slot in the head 68 acts as a clicker to furnish a tactual indication of the increments of elevation of the end of the support strip 60. The spring thus maintains the support element 60 yieldingly in an adjusted position relative to the plane of the bottom of the inner shaping member 12. When the outer member 30 reaches its limiting position forward as illustrated in FIGURE 6, it rides over and presses down the free end of the auxiliary supporting strip 60 against the pressure of the spring 64, but by this time the shoe upper has been pinched so that the shoe cannot fall down into contact with the base 10. The shoe can be elevated at its instep region by a vertical adjustment of a shelf 74 which is located under the forward portion of the inner shaping member 12 and is adjustable relatively to the plane of the bottom of the member 12. As shown, it is secured to the base by a thumb nut 76 on a bolt 78 passing through a slot 80 in the shelf bracket The heating coil 24 is preferably controlled by a thermostat T which is connected in series with the coil 24 and with a switch S, the latter being open when the mechanism is not in use. If desired, a telltale pilot light P may beconnected across the power lines back of the switch S to indicate when the switch S is closed. A second pilot light P may be connected back of the switch S and the thermostat T to indicate when both the switch 8 and the thermostat T are closed. The wiring for these electrical elements is conventional as indicated in FIG- URE 9.

The effect of the mechanism on a womans pump W such as is shown in FIGURE 5 is to curl inward the top margins of the sides and back of the upper so that they will hug the feet of the wearer.

The forward end or nose 82 of the inner shaping member 12 may be notched to form a transverse groove in its bottom face as indicated at 84 in FIGURES 2, 4 and 6. The member 12 is heated when the machine is in use so that if the top edge of the upper around the opening of the shoe is pressed into the groove 84 and rubbed 6 along the length of the top edge, the result is to round oii the edge and to improve its appearance. For this operation the shoe is held in the hands of the operator.

For convenience, a separate tool consisting of a ball W on the end of a stem 92 is supported in a suitable hole at a corner of the base It For local stretching of a shoe upper at any desired point, this tool is removed from the base and the ball is inserted in the shoe and pressed manually against the inner surface of the upper at the point where the upper is to be stretched.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for smoothing and shaping the margins of shoe uppers about the foot opening, comprising a base, an inner shaping member yieldingly mounted on said base and adapted to enter the heel portion of a shoe upper, means holding said inner member against longitudinal movement on said base, a U-shaped outer shaping member slidable on said base into longitudinal rubbing engagement with side portions of a shoe upper on said inner member, and means operable to press said outer member into engagement with said inner memher.

2. A mechanism for smoothing and shaping shoe up pers, comprising a base, an elongated inner shaping memher on said base movable a limited distance away therefrom, spring means holding said inner member yieldingly in contact with said base, said inner member having a rounded end portion and convex sides adapted to engage within the heel portion of a shoe upper, a U-shaped outer shaping member slidable on said base into an engagement with the sides and rounded end of said inner member, said outer member presenting to said inner member concavely curved surfaces, and means operable to press said outer member into engagement with said inner member.

3. A mechanism as described in claim 2, and means for heating said inner member.

4. A mechanism as described in claim 2, said base having an opening adjacent to said rounded end of the inner shaping member, an auxiliary support element in said opening, and spring means yieldingly maintaining said support element in an adjusted position relative to the plane of the bottom of said inner shaping member.

5. A mechanism as described in claim 2, said base having a support bracket under the forward portion of said inner shaping member and adjustable relatively to the plane of the bottom of said inner shaping member.

6. A mechanism as described in claim 2, said base having an opening adjacent to said rounded end of the inner shaping member, an auxiliary support element in said opening, spring means yieldingly maintaining said element in an adjusted position relative to the plane of the bottom of said inner shaping member, and a support bracket under the forward portion of said inner shaping member and adjustable relatively to said plane.

7'. A mechanism for smoothing and shaping shoe uppers, comprising a base, an elongated shaping member on said base movable a limited distance away therefrom, spring means holding said member yieldingly in contact with said base, said member having a rounded end portion adapted to engage within the heel portion of a shoe upper and sides which curve convexly to the bottom of the member, and means for pressing the top margins of the sides and back of a shoe against said rounded end and curved sides of said shaping member.

8. A mechanism for smoothing and shaping shoe uppers, comprising a base, an elongated inner shaping member on said base having an extension projecting from its bottom through said base to hold said inner member against sliding movement on said base, spring means on said extension holding said inner member yieldingly in contact with said base, said inner member having a convexly rounded end adapted to engage in the heel portion of a shoe upper, the sides of said inner member curving inward to the bottom thereof, a hollowed U-shaped outer member movable on said base to embrace the sides and rounded end of said inner member whereby to curl the top margin of the upper of a womans pump on said inner member, and means operable to press said outer member into engagement with said inner member.

9. A method of shaping the heel portion of the upper of a shoe, which comprises supporting from within an area of the heel portion of said upper spaced from the top edge thereof, pressing the outer surface of said area forward, wiping forward and at the same time curling inward the top margins of the sides of said upper, and curling and pressing inward the top margin of said upper at the back thereof.

10. A mechanism for smoothing and shaping shoe uppers, comprising a base, an inner shaping member yieldingly mounted on said base, an outer shaping member slidable upon said base, and means operable to cause relative movement between said members to bring them into engagement with each other,

11. A mechanism as described in claim 10, and means for heating said inner member.

12. A mechanism for smoothing and shaping shoe uppers, comprising a base, an inner shaping member yieldingly mounted on said base, an outer member slidable upon said base, and means operable to cause relative movement between said members to bring them into engagement with each other, said base having a bracket under the forward portion of said inner shaping member adjustable relatively to the plane of the bottom of said inner shaping member.

13. A mechanism for smoothing and shaping shoe uppers, comprising a base having an aperture therein, an inner shaping member yieldingly mounted on said base with its rear end adjacent to said aperture, an outer shaping member slidable upon said base, an auxiliary support element yieldingly maintained in said aperture in an adjusted position relative to the plane of the bottom of said inner shaping member, and means operable to cause relative movement between said shaping members to bring them into engagement with each other.

14. A mechanism as described in claim 13 including spring means for maintaining said auxiliary support member yieldingly in said aperture.

15. A mechanism for smoothing and shaping shoe uppers, comprising a base, an inner shaping member on said base movable a limited distance away therefrom and adapted to engage within the heel portion of a shoe, spring means holding said inner shaping member yieldingly in contact with said base, an outer shaping member slidable on said base into engagement with said inner shaping member, and means operable to press said outer shaping member into engagement with said inner shaping member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 899,073 Rhoult Sept. 22, 1908 1,850,389 Gimson Mar. 22, 1932 2,221,841 Medwick et al Nov. 19, 1940 2,235,363 Freeman et a1 Mar. 18, 1941 2,292,106 Curtis Aug. 4, 1942 2,517,293 Dodge Aug. 1, 1950 2,656,554 Altvater Oct. 27, 1953 2,720,669 Michalek Oct. 18, 1955 2,883,686 De Vito Apr. 28, 1959 

1. A MECHANISM FOR SMOOTHING AND SHAPING THE MARGINS OF SHOE UPPERS ABOUT THE FOOT OPENING, COMPRISING A BASE, AN INNER SHAPING MEMBER YIELDINGLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND ADAPTED TO ENTER THE HEEL PORTION OF A SHOE UPPER, MEANS HOLDING SAID INNER MEMBER AGAINST LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT ON SAID BASE, A U-SHAPED OUTER SHAPING MEMBER SLIDABLE ON SAID BASE INTO LONGITUDINAL RUBBING ENGAGEMENT WITH SIDE PORTIONS OF A SHOE UPPER ON SAID INNER MEMBER, AND MEANS OPERABLE TO PRESS SAID OUTER MEMBER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID INNER MEMBER. 